


Live each day as it was your last

by Caroaimezoe



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, Turtlecest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-31
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-02-25 16:34:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22499143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caroaimezoe/pseuds/Caroaimezoe
Summary: For the Show your Love event, for Hummerhouse.Something terrible happened and Leo needs to get something out of his chest.
Relationships: Donatello/Leonardo (TMNT)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 52
Collections: Show your love





	Live each day as it was your last

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hummerhouse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hummerhouse/gifts).



> Art by Neat Tea

_Set after the episode Good Genes. from the 2003 series_

* * *

“Is he still out of it?”Raph asked after a quick glance at Donatello. “Is it normal?”

They had arrived at the helipad and Casey and April had just left. Everyone was tired now that the adrenaline had faded away and they were back at the lair. 

“After what happened to him and how the double mutation affected his body, it’s not surprising.” Leo’s concerned gaze landed on his brother, still unconscious. But at least, he was there, under his turtle form. The leader had been so afraid to lose his brother forever. “Leatherhead told me we need to keep an eye on him for a few days and to warn him if something is wrong. Tonight, I will watch him until morning.”

Raph nodded seriously. He had been very worried too and all this stress from the day weighed on him suddenly. He was drained and relieved at Leo’s offer for the next more critical hours. He knew he could trust Leo and that the eldest wouldn’t blink if his duty was to watch over Donnie. Mikey had slept during the whole helicopter ride and was snoring so loudly that Raph guessed he wouldn’t wake up any time soon.

“I’m gonna hit the bed, then. I will relay you after breakfast,” he said with a yawn. “Want help to drag his ass into bed?” he said, motioning to Donnie.

“You have enough on your plate.” Leo pointed to Mikey muttering in his sleep about wanting pancakes."I'm good."

Anyway, Don was the lighter of them and careful not to wake him, he circled his brother’s shell to carry him bridal style to his room. But then, he changed his mind. Don’s room was narrower than his since he barely slept in there and was also filled with junk parts and other experiments. His own was wider and also farther from the kitchen. Don would be able to rest better.

Gently, he put Don down on his bed and tucked him in with great care and lit a few candles to make the light dim but enough for Leo to see if something went wrong. Then, he pulled his chair next to the bed to watch over his brother. How afraid he had been to lose him, he thought, unable to tear his gaze away from the unconscious form of his brother. Maybe he should give him a drink but he didn’t dare move, regretting not asking Raph to bring him water and a wet towel. At the same moment, Master Splinter appeared in the door frame, a glass of water in a hand and a cup of tea in the other.

"Here, my son, something to give you some strength and help you stay awake."

"Thank you, Sensei." Leo took both the glass and mug to put them down on the nightstand. "After such a day, I'm not sure I could sleep." His voice turned thick with emotion. "I'm afraid if I take my eyes off of Donnie, he would disappear, but this time for good."

Master Splinter landed a hand on Leonardo's shell. 

"I understand. There is nothing as painful as the loss of a loved one," he replied softly. "I leave you to watch over your brother."

Master Splinter left and the leader stayed alone with his thoughts, watching Don sleep. Indeed, there must be nothing comparable to losing a loved one. To save Don he had to break his deal with Karai and steal her amulet. It was against Leo’s honor to act this way, and Karai was probably scheming her revenge. But if Leo had to do it again, to save Don, he would act the same. Honor was such a meaningless concept in comparison to Don’s life. He could live without honor, but could not have born if his brother had died trapped in this beast’s body. A slight hitch in Don’s breathing kicked him out of his train of thought. The genius didn't seem unconscious anymore since he stirred in his sleep. 

Again, to see Don alive and looking fine remind him of the dread he had felt the whole day and tried to dismiss. Mindless adrenaline had led him into the Foot towers. He couldn't allow himself to listen to his pain and fear of losing Donnie. It would have blinded him. Failing was a possibility he hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. But now that the biggest part of the stress was over, the risk of nearly losing Donatello was haunting his mind. How could he have survived after that? Leo had no idea. He didn't want to think too deeply about it. He wasn't a coward and always faced a situation head-on but this was simply too awful. 

"Hey, Leo? Why are you looking so serious?"

Startled, Leo looked down. The genius was awake, his chocolate eyes gleaming with the light of life and recognition. Leo could have never met this intelligent gaze, anymore, neither hear this soft, kind voice. His chest throbbed painfully.

Don scanned his surroundings, puzzled.

"Why am I in your room? Did something happen? Was I sick?" Donatello asked with a hint of concern. He ran his hands over his body, probably looking for an injury. "But I feel fine!" he exclaimed. “Why are you looking so moody?” he wondered, now truly worried for the leader.

"Are you sure you are feeling fine?"Leo asked hoarsely, trying to compose himself to not worry further his brother. Hearing the word 'fine' was a huge relief. He almost felt like crying, actually, but he needed to make sure before getting his hope high.

Don glanced at him, more and more concerned by Leo’s dark mood.

"Yes. To be honest, I feel slightly dizzy, but…"Don started to say, trying to stand up. 

"Don't!" Leo forced him into laying down and by Don's stupor in front of his unusual emotional display, the leader allowed his barriers to break. Letting his feelings out for once wouldn’t make him less of a leader.

"What happened?" Don asked again, in his softest voice, but obviously starting to be upset. To see Leo so distressed was probably making a strong impression on him and Leo tried to compose himself for his brother's sake. His brother had to know the truth. Donatello was a genius. To know about his condition would help him to figure out himself how to be sure it won't happen again.

Leo recalled the events as calmly as he could manage and Don listened to him with great attention. 

"I understood how being the leader was useless," Leo explained. "This is only a shallow title.” Leo took a shaky breath. How could he even put into words how he felt? “Without your brain, we were lost. I'm expendable. You are not. I wasn't even the one having saved you! Without Leatherhead, we would have lost you forever!"

Don just stared and Leo took it as an agreement. He was a failure of a leader. He lowered his head in shame, tears pricking his eyes. 

“Don’t beat yourself up about this,” Don finally said. “If anything, I was the careless one. Besides, you did what you had to do and succeed. Without you and your skills, I would still be in this monster’s body.”

Again, to hear the possibility it could have happened made Leo flinch.

“Never. I wouldn’t have accepted it. I would had died trying,” the leader vowed with passion. “I would have done anything, but I could not have lived with the thought of having lost you.” Now that he had opened the door to his bottled away feelings, Leo felt he had to spill everything out from his chest. What if Don had died, not even knowing how important he was? What if Leo died without telling him? The wisdom of Ancient said that you have to prepare to live each day as it would be your last. Leo had been too close to losing everything to make the same mistake twice. He was encouraged to continue pouring his soul out by Donatello’s demeanor. The genius was listening very quietly. It was like he was holding his breath. But the brown eyes that stared at him were very focused on Leo’s every word. Without the bandana, Don’s gaze looked sharper in attention, but also gentler.

“I need you,” Leo continued, overwhelmed by his feelings like he had never been before. “What if one of us left without telling the other what the other means to him? Whatever is at the other side, I would not have been in peace.” Leonardo didn’t even bother to wipe the tears running freely on his leaf-colored cheek. “You have no idea how important you are to me, to our family, to our te…”

His bandana tails had been pulled forward by Donatello to meet his brother’s lips in a sloppy kiss. Leo opened his eyes widely, all distraught emotions flying out the window, his brain making a wet fuse, while Don’s hand slid on his neck to deepen the kiss. He was still not coming back from his surprise when Don pulled away, with a deep flush.

“Ugh, I’m sorry…” the genius stammered. “You were so upset, I couldn’t stand it and also, I didn’t want to hear the part about the team leader’s feelings,” he chuckled awkwardly. Don locked eyes with him, very serious despite his cheeks burning from the blush. “You made me think as well. What if one of us left without telling the other his feelings, indeed? But you probably don’t mean these feelings...”Donatello trailed off, his embarrassment obvious, his shy nature taking over. 

Leo’s mind ran so fast that he didn’t even look like hesitating. He had put no words on the feelings devouring him. The idea of losing Donatello taken up all the places in his heart because it had been too painful. But the kiss felt right and suddenly, he was filled with something else other than adrenaline, fear, and despair. 

He lunged forward, grabbing Don by his shoulder, pinning him on the bed to capture his mouth. He and Donnie were both fast learners, so the kiss that had started clumsy turned steamy in five-seconds flat. 

Leo felt he needed to say something at this point and broke their lips apart.

“You could be a genius, but you don’t know everything.”

He had meant to sound smart and in control, but the fact was he felt powerless in front of Don’s flustered face. He felt himself hardening and his self-restraint slipping. He had questions spinning in his head: since when had Don felt this way? Was it something he wanted to push further? If so, what would they tell their family? What would Master Splinter say? But it was like the ability of speech had left him. Underneath him, he felt the bulge of Don’s lower plastron.

“I’m a handyman, what about a manual approach to show me how you feel?” Don asked, his breathing labored, arousal pouring out of him in hot waves. “Show me we are both alive and we will be fine.”

It wasn’t like Don to call the shots, but his brother was feeling impatient. To see his brainiac brother so horny, went straight to the leader’s groin and suddenly, Leo realized that indeed what he felt for Don could be called love. They both knew it and for them, no further explanation was necessary. A thirst to make Don feel good and cherished took him. Whatever happened to them, to him, the leader, Don would remember this night and remember he had been loved by him. 

No other words were exchanged this night, only kisses and caresses. Leo felt like he had been living like it was his last day, but it was really like his first, discovering his brothers’ many enticing secret sides. A first night, that would be followed by many others, he hoped, kissing the turtle cuddled against him. He listened to Donnie’s soft breath and hugged him closer. The dreadful feelings were fading away, finally. To be alive had never felt so good and he allowed himself to sleep, now in peace. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
